As a nursing assistant or nurse aide, you will offer patients compassion and patience while assisting them with day-to-day life tasks such as dressing, bathing and feeding. You may also support doctors and nurses in diagnostic procedures and technical treatments. Certified nursing assistants or nurse aides (CNAs) also typically assist in patient charting and instruction, documenting any care that is given and report significant observations to the nursing staff.

Nursing assistants enjoy solid job security and frequently work a flexible schedule. Typical work environments include long-term care facilities, hospitals, clinics and in the home.

While in school, you will be instructed on a broad range of subjects, including infection control, communication and interpersonal skills, safety and emergency procedures, personal care skills, psychosocial needs, basic restorative services and skills, basic nursing skills, quality improvement and more.

The NA program is quick, thorough, current and relevant with courses that offer you great experience and the ability to get into the health care field in just a couple of months.

WHAT CLASSES WILL I TAKE?

Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of nursing assistants and nurse aides is expected to grow 17 percent nationally by 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations, due to growing elderly population.*

Accreditation and Programmatic Information

The Pima Medical Institute Mesa and East Valley campuses are licensed by the Arizona State Board for Postsecondary Education and is approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing to offer the Nursing Assistant Training Program. This campus is also nationally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).